Austria

Sometimes romantic, sometimes sinister, Europe's best castles evoke a
palpable sense of both melancholy and wonder. Their ancient stones brim
with mystery and history—but not the stodgy old history of musty
textbooks. Castles are the past brought to life, a visceral reminder
that quests and battles and chivalry weren't always the exclusive
province of fantasy novels. Go medieval on your next trip with a visit
to one of these castles where ancient history is alive and well.

Carreg Cenne Castle, Wales

Never trust any list of Europe's best castles that doesn't include at
least one entry from Wales. Owing to its tumultuous history of war and
rebellion, the Welsh countryside is home to more castles per square mile
than anywhere else in the world. Our favorite is Carreg Cennen, the only ruined stronghold to make this list. Actually, we like that Carreg Cennen has been in a ruinous state since 1462. Perched on a lonely limestone hilltop in Brecon Beacons National Park
and often shrouded in mist, Carreg Cennen is easily the most evocative
castle in the land. And while it may not be quite as popular as the
larger Caerphilly Castle, Carreg Cennen will always be first in our hearts. It's open daily between April and October.

Hohenwerfen Castle, Austria

Brooding high above Austria's Salzachtal Valley amid the dramatic
peaks of the Berchtesgaden Alps, this stronghold has served alternately
as a home to kings, archbishops, and prisoners (it was a state prison
for a period of time) for more than 900 years. Today, Hohenwerfen Castle
is a popular tourist draw and the site of Austria's foremost falconry
center, where the royal hunting art is on full display with daily
demonstrations.

Predjama Castle, Slovenia

Predjama Castle is an easy sell to castle lovers. Most famous for
being built into the side of a 400-foot cliff, it may also call to mind
visions of Tolkien's Helm's Deep. But this real-world stronghold has the
requisite dungeons, secret tunnels, and bloody history to make it a
must-see on its own merits. Visit Predjama Castle during the annual medieval tournament, held each July, for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Guedelon Castle, France

Who says the age of castles is over? Take a trip back in time at Guedelon Castle
in Burgundy, France, where a team of 50 craftspeople and laborers are
currently using 13th-century building techniques and technology (think:
horses) to construct an authentic castle from scratch, deep within a
secluded forest. Visitors are welcomed from mid-March to early November
each year. The project has been running since 1997 and hopes to reach
completion in the 2020s.

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

It might be the most photographed castle in the world, but there's
still nothing quite like seeing Germany's fairy-tale castle in person.
The brainchild of "Mad King Ludwig" (or, more generously, "The
Fairy-Tale King"), Neuschwanstein has influenced everything from Disney attractions (note the similarity to Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle) to books and computer games.
Take a tour of the castle grounds, but leave time for an off-site walk
along the myriad nearby trails. That's where you'll find the most
stunning views for photographs.

Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

One of the most iconic castles in Europe, Scotland's Eilean Donan Castle is recognized the world over from its appearances on postcards and in movies like the original Highlander
("There can be only one!"). History buffs will appreciate Eilean
Donan's rich past as a key site during the 1719 Jacobite Rising, and all
will enjoy the stark beauty of its surroundings, where three great
lochs meet at the foot of an impressive mountain range. Today nearly
every part of the castle is accessible to the public for tours and
exploration.

Hohenzollern Castle, Germany

This ancestral home to a line of German emperors would fit in with the fantastical fortresses imagined by J.R.R. Tolkien and George R.R. Martin. At 2,805 feet above sea level, Hohenzollern Castle really is
a castle in the clouds. The current fortress is actually the third to
be built on the site (the first was destroyed in battle and the second
fell into disrepair). Today it is a popular tourist attraction.

Hunyad Castle, Romania

The imposing Hunyad Castle,
which once imprisoned Vlad the Impaler (Bram Stoker's inspiration for
Dracula), offers plenty for castle aficionados to sink their teeth into.
Marked by myriad towers, multicolored roofs, and exaggerated stone
carvings, this Gothic-Renaissance castle was fully and fancifully
restored after decades of neglect. What we see today may or may not be
authentic (some suggest that modern architects projected their own
"wistful interpretations" of a Gothic castle onto the reconstruction),
but either way, the end result is memorable.

Edinburgh Castle, Germany

One of the best examples of a fully restored medieval fortress, Edinburgh Castle
towers over Scotland's capital city from atop an extinct volcano called
Castle Rock. It was built in the 12th century and has passed hands
between the English and the Scots numerous times over the course of its
bloody history. Today, it's open to the public year-round for tours and
events.

Versailles, France

From its origin as an unassuming hunting lodge to its height as the royal court of France under Louis XIV, the Sun King's Chateau de Versailles
is arguably the grandest castle in the world. No visit to Paris is
complete without at least a day trip to see the gardens, canals, and
gilded halls of Versailles.

Not long ago, we learned that certain passengers felt they had been discriminated against for being too good-looking by Southwest Airlines. Our latest story of unfair, biased treatment comes out of Austria, courtesy of the U.K.'s Times Online: a wellness hotel, the Bioferienhotel Mandler's Landhaus, is offering "bargain deals" to skinnier guests while its pudgier clientele find themselves paying heftier rates.

According to the Times' article, "The prices at the all-organic food hotel, which describes itself as an “oasis for health-conscious and nature-loving people,” are determined on arrival, when visitors are weighed at reception." Now I'm all for organic food and exercise, but this might be taking those ideals a little too far. I'm trying to imagine how successful this would be on these shores, where 66 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, and somehow I don't see the concept taking off. Maybe it's the fact that we love our Applebee's, where even a salad, albeit a grilled steak Caesar, has 1,190 calories and 75 grams of fat.

I wonder, if Mandler's Landhaus is pricing guests by weight alone, how much would our own most famous Austrian (circa 1975) have paid to stay?